Review of They Came to a City

More of a polemic than an entertainment, based upon J. B. Priestley's stage play, it has it's moments of emotional drama but the message (which you can take or leave) outweighs everything else. The cast do a good job but ultimately they are mouthpieces for the politics. Standing out for me was Googie Withers as the reluctant barmaid, revealing under her feisty exterior a deep heart and soul. She was excellent. It is entirely shot in the studio and the sparse look of the sets probably reflect the film's stage origins. Wisely the actual ideal city itself is not shown, leaving it to the viewer's imagination. The music sourced from Scriabin was effectively used. Would not say I enjoyed the film but it is worth seeing. Mainly for Ms. Withers.